The trans-Saharan trade

Introduction to Trans Saharan Trade

Trans Saharan Trade was conducted between North Africa and West Africa. It derived its name from crossing of the Saharan desert by traders.

It derived its name from crossing of the Saharan desert by traders.

Origin of Trans Saharan Trade

It’s not clear when this trade started, merchants were travelling on horse drawn chariots between north and West Africa, due to increased aridity, the volume of trade decreased, but with the introduction of the camel from Asia the trade was revived. The Arabic who originally settled in parts of North Africa and from there they started moving south, first as traders and later as settlers.

Development of Trans Saharan Trade

The camel which was used as a means of transport made it easier to travel and conduct trade across the hot and hostile desert as the camel could withstand extremely harsh conditions.

The availability of trade commodities like, gold, ivory, slaves, leather, kola-nuts, pepper and gum were readily available in the West Africa. Similarly the commodities such as salt, horses, weapons, iron tools, cloth, silk, beads, cowries shells, glass ware and dries fruit.

Strong kingdom. There were strong kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai. The rulers ensured that the trade prospered and that trade routes were secure.

The Tuaregs. They served as guides to the caravans as they were conversant with the desert routs. They guarded the caravans against hostile desert communities who sought to rob them; they acted as middlemen and maintained oases through providing food stuffs.

Wealthy merchants. They financed the caravans as an investment that hoped would bring those profits.

Oases. This lead to growth of trans-Saharan trade through refreshment and replenishing supplies.
Islam. As Islam spread through the region, it served to unify the traders as brothers and sisters.

Organization of Trans Saharan Trade

Wealthy merchants in the North African financed the caravans. It was done where merchants gathered commodities and commits them to their employees who would organise caravans and they would commit their merchandise as loans to their traders who would then organize caravans.

The traders would collect commodities that were in demand in West African such as horses and weapons. The trader’s would team up with other traders to form a caravan. The caravans would be made up of several hundreds of people.

The traders would engage the services of the tuareg or Berber guides, also known as takshifs who would guide the caravans to the locations with the highest demand at the time.

During their trips, the traders would engage local agents who would serve as intermediaries. There were two types of trade routes used namely:

the main or primary routes and the
secondary routes.

The western route. It began at fez in morocco and went through Sijilmasa, then Taghaza, Timbukutu, Audaghast and ended in the Niger belt.
The central route. This route began in Tunis through Ghat, Agades, Kano and ended within the Hausa state.
The eastern route. This route started from Tripoli then went through Murzuk ,Bilma and finally ended at Njimi in Karnem Bornu.

Difficulties encountered by traders of Trans Saharan Trade

The journey was long and tiring, sometimes the caravan traders ran out of supplies for themselves and animals
The caravans encountered insecurity in the desert like robbers and terrorism which were hostile
The routes in the desert changed frequently, the caravans would occasionally get lost
The desert climate was harsh with very high temperatures during the day and very low at night
There was a language barrier between the traders and the desert communities
Blinding sand storms hampered the progress of the caravan
The caravans were always at danger of attack by various desert creatures such as scorpions and snakes
The takshifs would turn against the employers and attack them or rob them
There was rivalry among traders over the monopoly and control of trade and trade routes

Factors that lead to decline of the trans-Saharan trade

The gold and salt fields got exhausted reducing supply
Fall of empires like Songhai caused political instability and insecurity in the region
External invasion by morocco cost destruction of some commercial centres like Gao and Timbukutu
The rise and growth of trans-Atlantic trade rendered trans-Saharan trade unpopular
European trading activities along West African coast undermined the trade
Abolition of slave trade from the 1840s denied the traders a main trade’ item’
The tuaregs changed their roles as guides and became robbers of the caravans
The desert condition like sand storms and desert insects.

Impact of Trans Saharan Trade

The trade provided an important link between western Sudan and North Africa
It stimulated the growth of small settlement which later grew into big ancient towns
It created a new social class in western Sudan
The trade brought about islamisation of people in West Africa
New types of goods were introduced to the people of West Africa
They built schools and university were Arabic literature and philosophy were taught